Bridgend 23-24 ConnachtBRIDGEND are facing an uphill task to make the last eight of the Celtic League after becoming the latest victims of the Connacht jinx.

The Brewery Field outfit joined the likes of Cardiff, Newport and Neath to have had their pockets pinched by Connacht, supposedly the weakest of the four Irish provinces, who have now won seven out of seven against Welsh opposition.

But while losing to Eric Elwood's unfashionable brigade is no longer a surprise, the manner in which Bridgend slipped into their old habit of surrendering a convincing advantage will be of utmost concern to those at the Brewery Field.

Leading 17-0 after 20 minutes through tries from Maama Molitika and a scorching effort by British Lion Dafydd James, Bridgend even had Connacht reeling in the scrums.

But after proceedings were held up for 15 minutes due to an injury to Connacht skipper Tim Allnutt, Bridgend not only took their foot off the pedal but put the gear stick into reverse.

The home side that trotted out after the break were unrecognisable from that which had been cheered into the changing rooms after a barnstorming first half both in defence and attack.

Gone was the disciplined assuredness, replaced by indiscipline and a propensity for snatching at chances and making unforced errors.

It left assistant coach Richard Webster wondering exactly how Bridgend had managed to throw away the chance to haul themselves back into Celtic League contention.

"We are all obviously very disappointed because the game was there for us to win," said Webster.

"We certainly had enough ball to win that game easily but we just tried to force things too much in the second half.

"We were under pressure after the last couple of games to go out and play rugby but I thought we tried to do it in all

the wrong places.

"There were times when we just needed to put the ball in the corner and win the game rather than try to put on a performance.

"Qualification is not beyond us, that fourth spot is still swinging there for us to grab."

To clinch that last qualifying place, Bridgend simply must win their remaining two games - away to Cardiff next week and then home to Leinster - even to have just a chance.

But in order to win those games coach Allan Lewis would do well to force his squad to repeatedly watch a replay of their first half-hour of the game and delete the rest of the tape.

Craig Warlow provided the spark for Bridgend's first try after collecting the ball in open play and finding two lumbering forwards before him.

His break was closely supported by hooker Gareth Williams who fed inside for Molitika to score.

Warlow struck the conversion, having earlier slotted over a penalty, and was stepping up to aim at the posts again just three minutes later after James had burst through the Connacht midfield on a darting run for Bridgend's second.

But following the break for Allnutt's injury, the visitors hit back through Wayne Munn and then via the boot of Elwood.

Having missed three earlier chances, the former Ireland outside-half got back on target with a pair of penalties early in the second half while his kick to touch set up the attack from which centre Darren Yapp slipped through into the corner for Connacht's second.

Warlow kept Bridgend's noses in front before a defensive mix-up in dealing with Chris Keane's chip ahead saw the ball end up in the hands of Mark McHugh to seal the contrasting fates of both sides.